The gig economy is changing the way small businesses hire. And it has also led to more people making a career out of freelancing and contracting. Previously, tax season was complicated both for contractors and the small businesses that hire them. But a new Intuit tool aims to change all that.

In addition, the recent Trump tax plan could make a major impact on small business finances going forward. And Small Business Trends sat down with a CPA to better understand some of the nuances.

See both of those articles along with other small business headlines below in this week’s Small Business Trends news and information roundup.

How Xero’s Ryan Himmel Explains the Impact of Trump’s Tax Plan on Small Businesses

The recent passage of the Republican tax bill could lead to big changes for small businesses. But some entrepreneurs are still unsure exactly which parts of the bill might have the biggest impact. So a financial professional could potentially shed some light on the specifics. Ryan Himmel is a CPA and head of financial partnerships in the Americas for Xero.

Economy

Huge Jump Seen in Small Businesses Bought and Sold During 2017, Report Says

The BizBuySell 2017 Insight Report shows record annual small business transactions for the year, totaling 27 percent higher than those in 2016. The high numbers were the result of a strong second half in 2017, driven by a robust economy. This resulted in 9,919 closed transactions for 2017, compared to 7,842 in 2016.

53 Percent of Small Business Owners Pessimistic About Trump Legislation Helping Them

Small businesses aren’t feeling especially optimistic about the Trump administration’s ability to enact policies that will help them, according to Rocket Lawyer’s 2018 Small Business Index. Or at least, the optimism that many of them were feeling last year has waned a bit.

Small Business Confidence Was Higher Than Ever in 2017

Final 2017 Holiday Sales Figures Show Best Season in 4 Years

After analyzing consumer spending at more than 1.3 million merchant locations in the U.S over the holiday shopping season, FirstData (NYSE: FDC) has revealed it was the strongest in four years. First Data’s SpendTrend Report shows the overall growth for the entire holiday season was up 6.2 percent from the previous year, which was at 4.7 percent.

GovCon Incubator Wants to Connect Small Businesses with More Federal Contracts

Employment

71% of Millennials Support Mandatory Paid Family Leave

The issue of mandatory paid family leave by small businesses is being addressed in a new survey by Paychex. In it, 71 percent of millennials showed support, but there is no clear consensus as to how it should be implemented or funded by everyone.

This year, the minimum wage will increase in 18 states. Another 20 local municipalities will enact their own minimum wage this year, too. These state and local governments are acting on their own as the federal minimum wage stays at $7.25 per hour. The local changes, however, are having an impact on small businesses in each location.

Local Marketing

72 Percent Will Judge Your Company by the Quality of Your Business Card (INFOGRAPHIC)

A business card is a piece of your company’s direct marketing plan. It typically includes a person’s name, phone number, email address, website and company. While the exchange of business cards might seem outdated in today’s digital world, it is still almost a ritual.

Yelp (NYSE: YELP) is yet again facing accusations that it’s creating a pay-to-play scheme to get more businesses to buy advertisements on the popular review platform. This time, Dallas area businesses are accusing Yelp of hiding five-star reviews when they refused to pay for advertising, according to a report from CBS Dallas/Fort Worth.

New MailChimp Campaign Builder Gives Small Business Marketers More Flexibility

The new campaign builder from MailChimp has been improved to give you more flexibility so you can address each point of the campaign when you are ready. Unlike the step-by-step process of the past, the new check-off system allows for improved collaboration and the flexibility to go to different parts of the campaign at any given time.

How to Make Your Mobile Marketing Amazing in 2018

As a small business, mobile marketing has to be part of your overall campaign if you want to reach your customers. A new infographic by Filmora points out some mobile marketing statistics you should be watching out for in 2018 along with some valuable tips.

How to Prevent Influence Marketers from Going Rogue with Your Brand Name

A few recent examples of online influencers hurting the brands they work with have small businesses wary of influencer marketing. PewDiePie and Logan Paul are just a few of the big name influencers who have stirred up controversy in recent months that the brands they work with didn’t count on. But these situations don’t mean that influencer marketing is too risky for small businesses.

Instacart Acquires Unata Benefiting Small Grocers and Workers in the Gig Economy

The acquisition of Unata by Instacart will bring together two companies who are transforming online grocery shopping — and create plenty of opportunities for contractors in the gig economy and small independent grocers.

December 2017 Brick-and-Mortar Retail Traffic Down 5.5% from 2016

Nationally, December was a bad month for brick-and-mortar retail with sales dipping 5.5 percent below December 2016. Traffic also dropped 7.5 percent for these stores. Even transactions dipped 7 percent, according to the latest Retail Performance Plus Year over Year Report for December from RetailNext.

Small Biz Spotlight

Spotlight: Truvid Offers Video Specifically for Professionals

Video has become a powerful tool for a lot of businesses, whether you’re creating advertisements or looking for ways to explain a product or service. Platforms like YouTube give video creators a way to easily share their content. But a new platform, Truvid, goes a step further.

Small Business Loans

Small Business Lending On the Rise, Report Says

The Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index is reporting small business lending is on the rise. The November 2017 Small Business Lending Index rose 4.1 percent to 138.7, and compared to 2016, it was up more than 7 percent. The Small Business Lending Index measures the number of small business loans issued over the past 30 days.

Technology Trends

Online fraud attempts in the U.S. during the 2017 holiday shopping season increased by 22 percent. The insight comes from new ACI Worldwide benchmark data gathered from top U.S. merchants. The report reveals fraud attempts were highest on Thanksgiving day, Christmas Eve and and Dec.

Hackers Will Target Small Business Through the Internet of Things in 2018, New Report Says

A new report finds hackers are poised to target small businesses that use Internet of Things (IoT) technology to gain access to data from larger global firms in 2018. The 2018 Cybersecurity Predictions by Aon’s Cyber Solutions predicts a small business Internet of Things (IoT) breach will create a domino effect that damages a larger company.

Merger of Android Pay, Google Wallet Simplifies Small Business Payments

Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) announced recently it is merging all the different payments services it offers, including Android Pay and Google Wallet, into a single brand: Google Pay. Small businesses that accept payments on its ecosystem will now reportedly have simpler, safer, and more consistent experiences.

Small Business Spotlight

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